Black Rose

Although it’s simple to scare people in video games, it’s a lot more difficult to leave an emotional scar on them, which is the mark of a good horror game. However, it’s entirely reasonable not to aim for that, because there are plenty of times when you just want to get spooked a few times and go do something else, instead of triggering a series of recurring nightmares for months to come.

Black Rose is a first-person horror game in which your sole purpose is to walk around a funeral home and try to get close to the entity that haunts it. It’s not a very complex game in any regard, especially not when it comes to story and gameplay, but that doesn’t mean it cannot trigger your arrhythmia. The effect is amplified if you play it under the right conditions as well, such as at night with no one around you.

The story puts you in the role of Linda, a girl who’s interested in a funeral home people say it’s haunted. She goes to investigate and find out what happened to all the people who worked there, which is a pretty bold move. Even more so, she only takes a flashlight with her, which means that she is completely vulnerable to anything that might be lurking there.

As mentioned earlier, the focus is on the jump scares, not on anything else. Your goal is to get as close to the spirit without it getting wise, because that triggers the scoring system. The more you stay in the spirit’s proximity, the more points you acquire. On top of that, you get them faster if you are closer, but you need to remember that the ghost can sense you as well, so you shouldn’t linger for too long.

The graphics are very basic in all regards, but it’s not such a big problem if you consider the fact that everything is shrouded in darkness most of the time. However, the repetitive level design might get on your nerves after a while, because everything looks the same and it’s difficult to orientate yourself. Thankfully, at least the sound effects are decent, albeit not memorable in any way.

All things considered, Black Rose is a pretty decent indie production, even if all it can provide you with are a few jump scares every now and again. If that’s your thing, on the other hand, then it’s certainly worth a shot.